A friend of mine recently told me her dermatologist was using Laser Light Therapy to successfully treat her eczema. I wasn’t surprised. With its time-efficiency and broad range of applications, Laser Light Therapy is one of the most popular treatment modalities in physical therapy. Physical therapists use laser light therapy to great effect with a multitude of diagnoses including arthritis, neuropathy, muscle strains, fractures, pain reduction and TMJ.
2. A friend of mine recently told me her dermatologist was using
Laser Light Therapy to successfully treat her eczema.
I wasn’t surprised. With its time-efficiency and broad
range of applications, Laser Light Therapy is one of
the most popular treatment modalities in physical
therapy.
3. Physical Therapists use laser light therapy to great effect with a
multitude of diagnoses including arthritis, neuropathy, muscle
strains, fractures, pain reduction and TMJ.
4. HOW LASER LIGHT THERAPY WORKS
Laser Light therapy uses very short
wavelengths of light (600-1000 nm) to
penetrate human tissue in order to
facilitate healing of tissue, reduction
in pain and swelling.
Particles called photons assemble in
waveforms to make light. The light
transmits through the skin's layers
(the dermis, epidermis and the
subcutaneous tissue or tissue fat
under the skin) at all wavelengths in
the visible range.
5. However, light waves in the near infrared ranges
penetrate the deepest of all light waves in the visible
spectrum. When low level laser light waves penetrate
deeply into the skin, they optimize the immune
responses of our blood.
6. This has both anti-inflammatory
and immunosuppressive effects.
It has been found that light
transmitted to the blood through
light therapy has positive effective
through-out the whole body,
supplying vital oxygen and
energy to every cell.
7. The type of light utilized in physical therapy is most commonly
red or near infrared light. These forms of light are found on the
electromagnetic spectrum just above visible light.
8. Numerous studies have found that
the photons, especially those found
in the red or near infrared
spectrum, have healing properties
at the cellular level, meaning the
photons are absorbed by the cell.
The cell then uses these photons to
make additional ATP, adenosine
triphosphate, which creates the
body’s energy. This additional
energy accelerates the body’s
natural healing processes.
9. Part of the reason Laser Light Therapy is popular as a
treatment modality, aside from its therapeutic benefits, is
treatments usually last 5 minutes or less, are non-invasive and
are pain-free.
10. And while light therapy treatments are
usually performed two to three times a week,
most people have noticed improvements
with their first or second treatment.
My friend noticed a
significant reduction in
her eczema symptoms
after her first treatment.
11.
12. When receiving a laser light treatment, the physical therapist places a
small wand over the affected area administering the light.
The wand will be held over the skin for a predetermined amount of time
with the patient coming back 2-3 times a week to treat the affected area.
13. During the painless treatment,
laser energy increases circulation;
drawing water, oxygen, and
nutrients to the damaged area.
This creates an optimal healing
environment that reduces
inflammation, swelling, muscle
spasms, stiffness, and pain.
As the injured area returns to
normal, function is restored and
pain is relieved.
14. It’s exciting that other practitioners in
the medical field are realizing the
benefits of laser light therapy.
When patients are experiencing pain
or uncomfortable symptoms, time is
always of the essence as they seek
relief immediately.
With tools like Laser Light Therapy,
practitioners are able to deliver those
results at incredible speed.